PLATE II. 



POEPHILA GOULD EE (Gould). 



GOULDIAX GRASS-FINCH. 



GOULD, in naming this bird after his wife, mentions that she accompanied him on his journey 

 to Australia and assisted him in other respects, and also expresses a hope that all other 

 ornithologists would sanction the dedication — -a hope that has been fulfilled. 



The first specimen was forwarded to Gould by Gilbert, who discovered it on Greenhill Island, 

 in Van Diemen's Gulf. It has also been procured by Mr. Elsey and others on the Victoria River. 



It inhabits thickets and mangrove swamps, but. on being disturbed, Hies to the top branches 

 of any tall tree that may be in the vicinity. 



The stomach, which is very muscular, is generally found, on dissection, to contain grass seeds. 



The crown of the head, throat and ear-coverts, black : down the sides of the neck, a broad 

 line of greenish- white ; upper surface and wings, yellowish-green : across the breast, a band of pale 

 lilac ; rest of the under surface, bright yellow ; tail, black : bill, white at the base, red at the tip ; 

 irides, light brown ; legs and feet, flesh-colour. 



Total length, 3| inches ; bill, g inch ; wing, 2^ inches ; tarsi, § inch. 



Habitat : North coast of Australia. 



GENUS AIDEMOSYNE (Reichenbach). 



THE present genus was created for a bird which differs very considerably from all the other 

 Finches, especially in the extreme plainness of its colouring. 



AIDEMOSYNE MOD I ST A {Gould). 



PLAIN-COLOURED FINCH. 



J I ^HE plain-coloured Finch is found in considerable abundance in the interior of the northern part of 

 J- New South Wales and the southern part of Queensland. 



It is generally seen either in pairs or in small companies, seeking its food among the grass- • 



The nest is composed of grass and fine fibres. The eggs are five or six in number, of a 

 plain white colour. They are half an inch long, by three-eighths of an inch broad. 



